I'll be there for you
by crimsie
Summary: Phoebe is having cold feet about her engagement to Mike. She has always had feelings for Joey and Joey's feelings are mutual. Both of them having a hard time to confess their feelings to each other. Trying to face each other one things leads to another & all new drama for the gang to deal with. English is not my 1st language & this is my first fanfic. Hope you like it! Stay tuned!
1. Chapter 1

She didn't dare to tell anyone about her true feelings. She had been the ''weird girl'' of the group, always a bizarre story to tell but this time she didn't feel like opening her mouth to anything the other friends said.

While sitting at the sofa she didn't make a sound to Rachel's observance.

''Hey Pheebs, are you okay? You haven't said anything the whole day.'' Rachel walked over to Phoebe who held a oversized cup in her hands.

''Oh no, no, I'm okay. I've just been...y'know. Y'know?''

''No Pheebs, I don't know.'' Rachel sighed with a half of smile.

"I've been having this gray very dark aura around me and I guess it's because of me. Like I have this little grumpy dark cloud wherever I go." she gestured with her hands over her head.

"Oh, well bad grumpy cloud? I guess?"

"But you know, thanks for caring... Oh, I have to leave now." Phoebe jumped out from the sofa and took her bag. "I have client coming in, thanks for the coffee, it was... not as awful as it used to be." she faked a smile and almost ran out from the coffee house.

She didn't have a client coming, she wanted to be alone for a moment or two. Thinking how she could get over her feelings for Joey. How he had supposedly fallen in love with her sister Ursula and the way he talked to her when thinking she was her. _I'd love to have a guy speak like that to me. What was it Ursula had that I don't? We are copies of each other, and he has known me for years_. The way his lips touched hers felt like a thousand waves hitting her. It was the best kiss ever. And she wished she could experience it for one last time.

She was engaged to be married to Mike Hannigan. The first couple of months she was genuinely happy but then again there was Joey. Every time she remembered, she felt a hard rock in her throat. What if it was Joey? Why couldn't Mike be Joey? Why isn't Joey Mike? These thoughts went through her head until she decided to just stop thinking of Joey and solely focus on her new life with Mike. It wasn't easy, just to see Joey's face every day with their friends just made her whole world stop.

JOEY POV

''Man, I can't believe Phoebe is getting married.'' Joey said finished his beer. It wasn't supposed to happen, not for him and not for Phoebe.

"I don't know, I think she's happy." Chandler said and made himself comfortable in front of the TV.

"What do you mean 'I think she's happy'?'' Joey asked confused. ''She's either happy or she's not. I however think she's rushing into this."

Chandler looked at his friend suspiciously. ''Why do you all of sudden care?''

''Phoebe is my best friend. Well, best girl-friend...And I want her to be happy. I care for her! And that guy Mike... If you ask me he looks a like hobo, how is he going to provide for her?'' Joey went into defense mode and suddenly felt like he had said too much.

''Oh so you can?'' Chandler snickered.

Joey muttered to himself. He always had a soft spot for Phoebe. She was the closest friend he ever had. It had crossed his mind that maybe she was more than a friend, he could actually see a future with the odd blonde girl that always made him feel secure about himself. Ever since his fling with Ursula he thought for himself how he fell 'in love' with Ursula. Ursula did not have any of the qualities of Phoebe. Ursula was cold and reserved while Phoebe was the opposite. He loved everything about Phoebe but Ursula's traits did nothing for him. Until he realized, him falling in love with Ursula was not him actually loving Ursula, it was him falling in love with someone who is the copy of the one he truly loves and care for. _Maybe that's why her rejection hit me hard? _Joey thought. _I'm afraid of being rejected by Phoebe so that's why I told myself it's Urs I wanted but truly it was the closest way I could come to Phoebe? Damn I need a head doctor. I'm crazy stupid in love with Phoebe Buffay._

"Joe? Hey Joey!" Chandler shouted making Joey jump out of his day daydreaming.

"Uh, what dude?"

"Another beer please?"

Joey handed out a cold beer to his friend and went back to his daydreaming. _I have to tell her, I'm going to tell her._


	2. Chapter 2

"I was thinking, how about…"

"No Mon, no! None of that French stuff no one can pronounce!" Rachel protested loudly.

"What do you mean? I can pronounce it."

"Well that's because you have dedicated your life to cook things that no one has heard of and can't pronounce because no one has ever heard of them." Chandler said and taking a look at the cookbook. "What is that even? Why not just make cupcakes or brownies. Something people actually eat?"

Monica rolled her eyes and said: "I will make both and you guys are going to enjoy both."

Just after that Phoebe burst into the apartment.

"Is Joey here?" she asked hysterically.

"No…Should he be?" Chandler asked confused.

Phoebe shook her head and sat down beside Rachel.

"Pheebs, are you okay? You have been acting quite… weirdly, is anything alright?" Rachel whispered to Phoebe. "Why are you all of suddenly avoiding Joey?"

Phoebe laughed out loud but it quickly died out when she realized the seriousness of the conversation. "No…No I would not ever avoid Joey. Joey is just… surprising." She started to play with her rings.

"Joey is surprising?" she asked.

"Well you know, it's Joey and Joey is very…Joey."

Rachel and Chandler glanced at each other quickly, none of them being able to understand the situation.

"Ehm…Monica… You got some coffee there?" Phoebe got up from the sofa to get away from Rachel questions.

"Yeah sure." Monica handed her a cup.

Phoebe knew she could not avoid Joey. Joey shined up her whole world and it wasn't fair to Mike. Mike was Mike and Mike is a nice guy and really cute but Joey was Joey. Joey was different even though he could have any girl he ever wanted and girls might just line up to be with him, she wished that regardless of all that, that he was hers and she was his. He would never notice her because she was just a friend.

"Oh, I forgot, I have a client coming soon and I have to go now. Thanks for the coffee!"

She waved goodbye to the other friends and walked out with the cup.

"Is anyone going to tell her she can't take the cup with her?" Monica asked the others.

"Nooo." Both Rachel and Chandler said.

_Joey would never see me more as a friend. It's useless to even try to think he would ever see me as more than a friend._

As she was walking towards the stairs she almost collided with Joey.

"Oh my god!" she yelled and dropped the cup crashing it.

"I'm so sorry Pheebs. About your…cup." He looked into her blue eyes. He paused for a bit and said he was sorry again.

"It wasn't mine, it was Monica's" she said and tried to distract herself from him.

"I-I have to talk to y-you." Joey said getting closer to her. "I've been thinking…"

"Oh, thinking! I am so happy for you but tell me tomorrow, I have to leave now! Bye!" she ran down from the stairs almost tripping. "I'm fine! Thank you." And then she was gone.

JOEY'S POV

The whole day he had been thinking of what to say to Phoebe. What she would say and how he would answer. He had been thinking of ways to tell her how Mike was not the right one for her. Just seeing her walk away, tripping on her long skirt, made his heart beat faster. He wished he could have said what he was thinking.

"God, I am so stupid…" He said and started to bang his head towards Monica's and Rachel's door. "I am…so…stupid!"

As soon as he was about to bang his head the third time, Monica opened the door and Joey fell right in.

"You know we never close this door? Right?" Monica asked him.

"I was just ehm… Exercising my head." Joey said and got up. "Just some regular head exercising. Making more room for my thoughts and ideas"

"Oh did you see Phoebe?" Rachel asked him.

_Of all people she asks about. I could have seen Ross, why isn't she asking about Ross?_

"Uhm, yeah, I did… She seemed to be in a hurry, did you guys know where she went?"

"To work, she said she had a client waiting for her. You know she seems to be acting weird lately." Rachel said. "I'm worried for her."

"You know its Phoebe we are talking about?" Chandler said. "Pheebs is weird."

"Heh, yeah..." Joey said giving a half of a smile.

He noticed his friends looking at him. Rachel was trying to hide her smile, starting to realize what is going on.

"I mean, yeah, she's weird in a cool way."

"You know she seemed to be trying to avoid you." Rachel said.

"Yeah, she asked us if you were here and when I asked her if he, as in you, should be here she just shook her head." Chandler said.

Joey felt a bit shocked.

"B-but why? Why would she avoid me?"

"I don't know, you tell me Joey Tribbiani." Rachel said with a grin.

Joey couldn't start his sentence without Monica coming between.

"Phoebe is probably stressed, she is engaged to Mike and so she has a lot on her mind, I don't think she has any bad intentions towards Joey…"

"I don't see what she sees in that Mike…" Joey mumbled loudly. Too loudly apparently.

"You don't like Mike Joey?" Rachel asked him.

"It's not that I hate him or anything." Joey tried to laugh it off.

Rachel looked at Chandler and then at Monica. She finally understood what was going on.

"Oh my god Joey! You are jealous!"

"WHAT? Nooo, no you have got it all wrong…" Joey said out loud. "This has nothing to do with Mike"

"You just said 'You don't see what she sees in Mike' obviously you feel something about their engagement." Chandler said.

_Enagement._ That's a stupid word Joey thought. He hated that word, and he hated two other words as well. Those words were Mike and Hannigan.

"I just think they are rushing into this, that's all." Joey said maintaining his cool.

"Says the guy who slept with a girl and he didn't even bother to ask her name." Chandler replied.

Both Monica and Rachel side-eyed Joey. He felt like he had to say something but not everything.

"I care about Phoebe! I don't want her to get hurt."

"Or you just like her and maybe the feeling is mutual." Rachel said.

"Y-you think s-she likes me?" Joey felt his cheeks getting warmer.

Rachel shrugged. "I don't know, maybe it is something for you to find out." Rachel said and took his hand. "And if it is so, it would be awful keep silent about it."

Joey nodded in agreement. "I've been trying to talk to her…But she just… shuts me out."

"Okay, you know what you have to do? Both of you are going to show up at the part, you are going to confront her and these two." Monica gestured at Chandler and Rachel. "These two are going to taste my pastries and discover what they have been missing out!" she said happily. "Everyone wins!"

"Yeah! I'm not gonna let her shut me out! I'm going to talk to her and tell her what I think!"

"Yes, you have too!" Rachel shouted

"We are rooting for you!" Monica said along with Rachel.

"Go for it Joey boy!" Chandler shouts out.

It got quiet and everyone looked at Chandler who had gotten a bit too excited.

"Well you all just said all of the encouraging things, I just… I... Eh, just do it man." Chandler laying his hand on Joey's shoulder. "We support you."

Joey had gotten all excited over his friends' encouragement.

He wasn't going to let anything come between what he was about to tell Phoebe. This weekend would be the weekend he finally opened up to Phoebe. Nothing was going to destroy it, not drunken-Chandler nor Mike Hannigan. Finally he was going to tell Phoebe that he loves her.

PHOEBE'S POV.

_Why can't I talk to him like a normal person? What is wrong with me? Why do I have to run away from him? Am I afraid to tell him how I feel? Am I afraid that I will slip on my words and tell him how much I love him? _These thoughts were running around in her head. What she would have done differently, what she would have said instead and how calm and cool she could have acted.

_I should have just kissed his stupid lips and run away, without the tripping part, that hurts. _

She finally met up with Mike at her apartment and they embraced each other with a kiss.

"Where have you been up to?" he asked her. In many ways he reminded him of Joey. Well it was Joey who had set them up in a way.

"Just met with my friends, about the engagement I think Monica could let us be in her apartment but she's having some sort of a party there…"

"Oh, is everyone going to be there?" Mike asked her. Still smiling.

"Who is everyone?" she replied with a smile.

"You know, Monica, Rachel, Ross, Chandler and…"

"Joey…" she finished his sentence and felt a shiver in her back. She bite her under lip hard whenever she got to think of him.

"Yeah, him. Man, you guys seem to be very close. I don't know if I feel safe having him around." He joked.

Phoebe faked laughed. _If I could just tell him…_

"Maybe he could be the priest or something?" he said with a laugh.

Phoebe felt like this was a perfectly good time for her to just drop dead in any second.

"I know! He could walk you down the aisle…"

_Will he ever just shut up? If there's going to be an aisle to walk down of it will be the aisle of hellfire._

"Sounds like a good idea." She said trying to act calm. She got up from the chair and Mike stood up.

"By the way, Monica called; she said something about a party tomorrow. You should go."

"Aren't you coming?"

He shook his head, "Nah, I have things to do and besides, it's all of your friends and stuff, I don't know so many people. I'm not a party type of guy."

_The party. Now I remember. Joey will probably be there. I hope I get to talk to him. I can't avoid him for the rest of my life. I must talk to him before its late. _


	3. Chapter 3

"You know what?" Mike asked her while playing with the remote control.  
"What?" Phoebe answered while she put fresh flowers in her hair.  
"It's kind of weird but... It feels like we are slipping apart." He said with an unsure smile.  
"Huh?"  
"Well you've been down lately, I have no idea why, maybe it's because of the marria-"  
"Marriage? What marriage?" She tried to laugh it off_. Why do we have to talk about marriage?_  
"Well, we are engaged and I know it can be too much but it's totally okay!" he said hugging her from behind, he placed kisses on her neck as she caressed his hand.

"Thank you." She whispered.

"Hey, you should go to that party Monica is throwing. I guess it would do you good."

"You aren't going?"

He shook his head. "I'm not a party guy and there are a lot of your friends there…"

She turned around to see him. She didn't seem to understand the last part.

"I thought you liked my friends."

"I do but I'm not so sure about that Italian guy…"

"He was the one who hooked us up." She couldn't believe what she was hearing from him. The last thing she wanted to talk about with Mike was Joey.

"I know but he seems to dislike me. And there's seems to be some tension between you too."

"Oh… Well, Joey was together with… Ursula." It pained her to have to remind herself of that. "And he just sees me as a very close friend." _Just a friend._

Mike scratched his head and thought for a while. "I have no idea why you brought the thing with Ursula up but maybe you remind him of Ursula and this whole thing makes…I don't know…Jealous?"

She looked down on the table and noticed the silver. _I should just shove that fork in my eye because why not? It seems available and would fit very well in my eye. I wish I could shove this thing in everyone eyes._

"You aren't saying anything and you've been staring at that fork for a time now."

"Oh no, I was just thinking that… You are wrong." She finally said.

"I hope so…"

"Because Joey is insane." She interrupted him trying to come up with a good enough excuse to say. "Joey is insane because Ursula broke his heart and that is why he is acting out. You know, it's Joey and that is not even his real name. Yeah, we call him that because it calms him down."

"Well, you go to the party." He kissed her and was on his way out of the apartment. "Stay away from insane people!" he joked and left.

She faked a giggle and when he had shut the door, she gestured a going off at her head.

_The party is going to suck. Joey is going to be there and I wish I wasn't even born. If there only was a way…_

JOEY'S POV.

"I hate Mike!" Joey said while crushing one of the pillows at the coffee house.

"Yet you are taking it out on the pillow." Chandler said and gave him a friendly tap on the shoulder.

"I just don't see why she's with him." Joey sighed.

"Joey you were the one who hooked them up." Monica replied to him. "It's all on you."

"I know but I didn't think it would last. It's not like I planned them to meet and then get married and leave."

Monica gave him a hug while Ross tried to come with something to encourage him.

"See it this way, wouldn't you want to see her happy?"

"But how can she be happy with him? How long have they known each other? I mean…Have you guys noticed that we always went on dates that never really worked out?" He turned around to see his friends.

They all nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, so?" Chandler replied but quickly stopped right there after Monica slapped him on the shoulder. "That hurts actually." He said looking at her.

"Sorry but… Joey time!" She gestured towards Joey.

"Oh, yes, go on Joe."

"Because I always thought we were on the same level. Here me out. It always seemed like it was me and her against all of you guys."

"Wait a minute…What?" Monica let out.

"Hush woman! Joey time?" Chandler replied.

"I just don't understand what you mean?" she ignored Chandler. She felt his hand on her waist and placed her hand on his. She rolled her eyes at him and sighed. "Just explain it please?" she asked Joey and squeezed Chandler's hand.

"Okay, well…You are all college people and we are not. She said when the revolution comes she was going to save me so I guessed with would be us two against all of you guys." The words were starting to fail on him. He wanted to stop talking but at the same time he felt like he had to let it all out.

"We were going to live in a mansion together but what, is Mike going to be there too? It ruins everything. I just…I just…I can't see her go through with this." He finally let it out and sank back to his part of the sofa.

All the friends hugged him and surrounded him with words of encouragement and compliments.

"Oh, oh!" Rachel let out.

"What Rach?"

"I see it now, she's your lobster!"

Everyone looked at her like she was insane.

"Am I the only one who notices?"

"Rach…" Joey started. "Thanks but rea-"

_This whole lobster thing is making me hungry_, he thought.

"Okay, I might not have gotten the right grip on what it means to be someone's lobster but listen to me Joey Tribbiani! If you don't tell her about how you feel she's going to end up married and you are going to hate yourself because of it and she will never know how you feel about it!" Rachel shouted and noticed all their eyes on her. She quietly sat back on her chair. "Just my opinion…"

"Yeah, or she could end up like Rachel with the whole thing about Barry." Chandler said with a grin.

"Not helping!" Rachel gave him a stare that could kill. It silenced him.

Joey thought for a while. He never in his life had been so worried about a girl before, well his sisters of course but a not-related girl like Phoebe. He thought of himself as a great womanizer but now he was down on his knees, thinking about his best friend Phoebe was getting married. He had no problem of seeing Phoebe married but he wish he could have been in that picture.

"What if I tell her about my feelings and she dismisses them?"

Rachel looked like she was trying to hold in something. Monica gave her a quick glance, both of them seemed to know something Joey didn't.

"I don't want to lose our friendship…"

"It's a gamble my friend. You have to risk it. You can lose or you can win." Ross patted him on the back. "I can tell you by experience…" Ross eyes followed Rachel who noticed him right away. She blushed and said "I-I uhm, well, Ross is right Joey! It's a gamble…"

The door opened by Phoebe who noticed her friends immediately.

"Hi!" She waved at them excited but stopped when her eyes met Joey's. "Hi Joey…"

"Hey…"

"Who wants to see the new coffee machine?" Rachel exclaimed and had the rest of the friends leaving Joey and Phoebe alone.

_Why the hell are they leaving us here? What am I supposed to say?_

"Uh so…How you doin'?" _Nice Joe, just nice._

Phoebe's nervous face turned into an insecure smile and to a giggle.

_Smooth, Tribbiani, smooth._

"I just…wanted to hang out." She finally said and kept her hands on her knees. She was afraid to move closer to him.

"Really? Wow…" _What the fuck is wrong with me? Can't I come up with something better to say? _"How are things going with Mike?" _I hate that name, Mike._

She paused and took a deep breathe. He watched playing with her rings and he felt an urge to touch her blonde hair. He wanted to confess to her but his words were failing him.

"It's going great." She finally said and blushed.

He loved seeing her smile, whatever made her smile made him smile. However with his dislike for Mike, he seemed to have trouble with keep smiling.

"Uhm, I wanted to tell you somethi-"He was about to finish his sentence until he heard Mike walking towards them.

"Hi honey." He gave Phoebe a kiss. "Hi Joe."

_Don't you Joe me you Irish…Is he Irish? I don't know Hannigan does sound Irish…_

Phoebe and Mike glanced at each other.

"Have you asked him?" Mike asked her.

_Ask what? What are they talking about?_

"Oh yes…Now I remember." Phoebe said with a smile and was now standing up next to Mike while Joey was still sitting down. Joey could feel their friends' eyes towards them.

"What was it you were supposed to ask?"

Her smile quickly faded. She bit her lip and said; "Mike wondered if you could…or …If you want, be the priest at our wedding." She looked at him like all the smiles and giggles she had made was now gone. Joey felt nothing but empty.

"I suggested it because you two seem so close, so why not?" Mike smirked.

_God help me or I'm going to smack him._

"Joey…" Phoebe started. She looked down at her shoes and then back at him. "It would mean a great deal if you did this for me."

_This cannot be what she wants, it just can't._


	4. Chapter 4

Monica's party was coming up.

Mike had to skip because of work but the gang would be there, as if everything was okay.

Phoebe was still unsure about her feelings.

_I'm getting married soon, I am not even at the altar and already having cold feet! I should have put on some socks, I hate this feeling._

Someone was knocking at the door and to Phoebe's surprise it was Rachel.

"Rach what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be at the party?"

"I am, but I was in the neighborhood and thought we could go together. You are coming right?" Rachel asked Phoebe.

"Of course, just let me get my jacket." Phoebe went to pick it from the closet in the living room only to grab air.

"Pheebs... Your jacket is on the couch." Rachel said, a bit worried.

"Oh, I knew that!"

Rachel was still standing by the door wit an raised eyebrow. "Pheebs you have acted really weird lately and not the typical Phoebe-esque weird that we all like about you... Is everything okay with you?"

"That question... is a matter of opinion." Phoebe said while putting on her jacket.

_Should I tell her? Rachel is one of my closest friends and she has never let me down when talking to her about things._

"You can tell me everything" Rachel sat her down at the couch and took her hand in hers.

Phoebe paused for a while. She thought long enough in a few seconds if she was going to tell her or not.

"Rachel, promise me this will stay between us two?"

"Of course! I would never let you down!"

Phoebe sighed and then let if finally out.

"I think I'm losing my feelings for Mike."

Rachel was quit for a few seconds. She was shocked and yet calm about it.

"Are you thinking of leaving?" She finally asked Phoebe.

"I don't know...I feel like I'm being torn between Mike and Joe-"

Before she could finish Rachel had already heard enough it seems.

"Noooo." Rachel said in shock. "Joey? Our Joey?"

Phoebe could only nod.

"Well... Have you told him anything?"

"I did... I asked him if he could be the minister at our wedding..."

Rachel couldn't believe her ears. "Pheebs... Really?"

"I don't know how to talk to him anymore! We used to be so close and I always felt like he was the only who could understand me but now he is so distant ever since I got together with Mike."

"You have to talk to him. Do it before Monica's party or I don't know... Do it soon at least!" Rachel pleaded to her friend Phoebe.

_**Joey's POV**_

They were all gathered at Monica's place. A lot of people were mingeling, a lot of names and faces he would soon forget, and also people he had no idea were friends with Monica.

"Hi Joe! Enjoying the party?" Chandler asked him.

"Uh, yeah. Cool party. Who are all of these people?" Joey asked and gestured to all of the people at the apartment.

Chandler chuckled for a while until he actually noticed the people. "I have no idea." His smile went out directly. He sipped on what seemed to be beer.

"So noticed anyone special yet?" Chandler broke off the silence. He looked at Joey who seemed a bit distant from his usual self.

"Uhm, what do ya mean?" Joey asked his friend.

"Well, you haven't been saying any pick up lines to anyone of these women, you haven't even talked to anyone of them. Are you okay buddy?"

"I'm okay, I'm okay." Joey said. "Just a bit tired y'know?"

"From sitting in front of the TV?" Chandler asked again.

"Uhh... Yeah well actually, the remote is missing so y'know... I actually had to get up from the chair." Joey said and seemed to act as if it was the most unbelieveable thing ever to happen. Of course it was, for him.

Moments later. Phoebe had arrived and was welcomed by the rest of the gang. Joey froze for a moment but noticed that Mike wasn't with her. _Should I walk up to her? Or just act as if nothing?_ _What if she sees me looking at her?_

"Hey, Joe! Phoebe is here!" Ross called out.

_Shut up Ross. SHUT UP. _

"Hi Pheebs." Joey walked up to the blonde. "How you doin'?" He said with a smile. He noticed her giggling and how she looked down and then up at him. _How I love her smile._

"I didn't see ya..." He said again.

"Really?" Phoebe said and the smile went out. She seemed serious about something. Like something was on her mind.

"Oh, you know. I was talking to this other girl... There she is!" Joey waved to a long haired figure standing a couple of meters from them_. I hope she just waves back._ "Hi how you doin'?" He said trying to be flirty while being nervous.

The long haired person turned around and it was a male co-worker from Monica's job. He looked annoyed at Phoebe and Joey.

"What ya want?" he said showing off his thick mustasche.

"Uh, sorry wrong person..." Joey said with a shaky smile as the person turned around and walked away.

Phoebe turned to Joey. "She seems delightful."

_I'm a huge ass._

_**Phoebe's POV**_

She noticed Joey standing near the kitchen when she came in.

"Hi Pheebs!" Rachel greeted her first. "Where's Mike?"

"He couldn't come... He had work to do." Phoebe said holding her jacket.

"Anyway Joey is here... Have you talked to him yet?"

Phoebe shook her head as a no.

"Pheebs...You have to talk to him before it is to la-"

Chandler, Monica and Ross showed up to greet Phoebe when Rachel was interrupted.

"Where's Mikey-Mike?" Chandler asked which had Ross react.

"Mikey-Mike?" Ross asked.

"What? Isn't that his nickname? We don't have a nickame for him?" Chandler asked surprised. "I will shut up now." Chandler said when he noticed the friends looking at him.

"Where's Joey?" Ross said and looked around. "There he is. Hey, Joe! Phoebe is here!"

_Oh no..._

Joey looked out of character at first but then he approached her with a smile that made her heart skip a beat.

"Hi Pheebs. How you doin'?" he smiled at her.

She started giggling at him. _Should I tell him right now?_

"I didn't see ya." he said.

_Oh... Guess that's why he didn't greet me._

"Really?" Phoebe said a bit melancholic.

" Oh, you know. I was talking to this other girl... There she is!" he waved at a girl who was a complete stranger to Phoebe. "How you doin'?" he said in to the girl.

The girl turned around only to show them the thick mustasche.

Joey gasped but quickly got quit.

"What ya want?" the man sounded annoyed.

"Uh, sorry wrong person..." Joey said and faked a smile.

The man grunted and left them both to join the rest of the partygoers.

"She seems delightful." Phoebe said and turned to Joey.

"Uh, the girl must have left before you got here..."

Phoebe's urge to tell him went away quickly after the whole ordeal. _He doesn't seem interested. What if I ruin our friendship?_

"Why isn't Mike here?" Joey said to quickly change the course of the conversation.

"He couldn't come. He was busy with something else." Phoebe said.

"Can I take your jacket?" Joey quickly removed the clothing from her hand only to quickly feel the stone on her engagement ring. He held her hand and looked at the ring for a good second or two.

"It must have been worth it." Joey said and put her jacket up on the wall.

"What do you mean?"

"Uh... It's a nice ring... And of course, you're worth it. It must have cost thousands..." Joey's smiled at her.

_Oh...Joey..._She thought. _I have to tell him or I'll have to go through with this wedding_.

"Uhm.. Joey... I have to tell you something..."

"HEEY GUUYS!" A wild drunken Ross appeared.

_Oh great... Ross.._

"I just wanted ya'll to know...You twoo... are my bestest friends everrr."

"That is great Ross." Joey looked at Ross irritated for his bad timing.

"Joebe and Phoey..." he hugged them both hard.

"Oh wow, great. Kinda choking me to death here." Phoebe said and got away from Ross' death grip.

_**A couple of hours later - Joey's POV**_

The party ended when Ross had passed out on a woman's lap.

"Great Ross...Thank you so much!" Monica said sarcastically.

"Uh... What happened?"

"Remember when Chandler gave you that drink because you were too nervous to talk to women? Remember that?" Rachel asked him.

"Nah..." Ross said, still drunk.

"Well that happened." Monica gave Chandler the evil eye.

"I guess I should help our friend here." Chandler helped Ross to his and Joey's apartment to get away from Rachel and Monica as quickly as possible.

"I should leave now." Phoebe said and got her jacket off the wall. "Mike might be home right now..."

Rachel gave her a quick look and glanced at Joey.

Phoebe answered with shaking her head.

"Ohh... You're leaving already?" Rachel said loudly and leaned towards Joey who was sitting down. "Can't you stay for a minute longer or not?" she pinched Joey which had him react quickly.

"Hey... Don't pi-" Joey noticed Phoebe walking out of the door.

_Oh shit... She's leaving?_

"Hey Pheebs?"

"Yeah?" Phoebe said before closing the door.

"Are you walking home already?" Monica said. "It is really late. I don't think the streets are safe at this time."

"Mon, I think you are forgetting that I know these streets better than I know the palm of my hand." She took a look at her and. "Wow, didn't notice that line before..."

"Uh, Monica is right. I should go with you." Joey said and got up from the couch.

"Joey... I really don't-"

"Oh, c'mon. It's dark outside. I'll walk you home!"

Before Monica and Rachel could say something, Joey had already gotten up and closed the door.

"What the hell was that?" Monica asked Rachel.

Rachel shrugged while hiding a smile from her friend.

"I really don't need you to walk me home." Phoebe said to him.

"Why not?" Joey asked her. "What if somebody robs you?"

"You mean I can't protect myself from robbers? I need you?"

"I'm just saying, your chances of being robbed will be a lot lower if you are with a guy." Joey said and quickly started to regret what he just said.

Phoebe couldn't believe her ears. "Really? My chances?" she started to laugh. "Joey, you would never survive the streets."

"Really?" He started to smile when she laughed. She had a contagious laughter which had him smile at her.

"You seem to forget I was raised on the streets." Phoebe said, still smiling but looked seriously at him.

"Oh... I'm sorry. I didn't mean..."

"It's okay..." Phoebe said. "We are getting close now... I guess I can go by myself now.."

Before they could even say their goodbye's a short bearded man with a beanie jumped in front of them yielding a knife.

"Hey! Give me that purse!" he spat out.

"What is the chance of that?" Joey said and looked at Phoebe and then back the man. "How 'bout you put that knife down before someone get's hurt?" Joey got in front of Phoebe.

"Joey... Please..."

"I got this Pheebs. How 'bout you wash your face and go back to your mom's house okay? It's almost 2 in the morning and I'm sure you have school tomorrow..." Joey told the man.

"Fuck, ya said to me?" the short man was boiling in anger.

"I said..." Suddenly everything got black for Joey. He felt his face getting warm and suddenly blood was streaming out of his nose.

"Hey, HEY!" Phoebe yelled at the man. "Punching my friend in the face and you deal with me! Okay?" She slapped the man so hard he fell down to the gutter.

"Damn lady... " the man ran away with a cut on his face. Most likely from her engagement ring.

Joey tried to get up from the ground.

"Ow... Ow..."

"Are you okay?" Phoebe said helping him get up.

"Hey... Guess who I am now..." Joey said trying to stop the bleeding from his nose with his sleeve. "Could I be anymore okay?" he laughed and had blood coming down his mouth.

"Joey..." she said in utter disbelief. "This is not the good time to tell a joke..."

"But you smiled? Didn't ya?" he raised his finger while hiding his nose with the other hand.

She tried to hide her smile while looking at him. "It's just... The timing when you said that and then it happened."

"Hilarious isn't it?"

"You should come in by the way, I need to check on that nose for you." Phoebe said and got inside. "Come on."

"You want me to get inside?"

"No I won't you to stay out here in the cold with a nose that might be broken. Come inside!" she dragged him in to her apartment.

_Is she really inviting me in? What if Mike is home. What if I make an ass out of myself? _

Before he could say anything else, the door behind him was closed.


End file.
